Do They Know It's Christmas Time?
by Sonata Rapp
Summary: My Christmas gift to you all! Kurama is losing his zeal for the Christmas season due in no small part the Scrooge-like nature of one fire demon. Do Christmas miracles still exist?


Do They Know it's Christmas Time?

Even though he was not an American or a Christian, Kurama's favorite holiday was Christmas. He loved to decorate the small apartment that he lived in with lights, garlands, and tinsel. There were poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe in various places, all real of course, in addition to the tree.

This year, Kurama had gone out with Yusuke and Kuwabara in the snow to get a tree. He shed his coat and scarf now and set the tree up in the corner. It was a puny thing, and his friends had made fun of it until Kurama silenced them with a sharp look and a wave of his hand that sent half of the foliage on Yusuke's tree to the ground.

Now he studied the tree from his seat in front of it, then wrapped his hand around the trunk. He sent a pulse of youki through the three, smiling as it grew and spread out, growing greener.

Once he was pleased with the tree's appearance, he dug out the box of ornaments and decorations his mother had given him when he'd moved out.

Kurama was glad that he no longer lived with his mother and her new family, and he usually loved living alone, but sometimes he found the holidays lonely. He was always invited to Genkai's with the rest of the gang, but he wanted a more intimate form of companionship. He wanted…

No.

That train of thought brought on nothing but needless unhappiness. The kitsune cued up some American Christmas music on his laptop and started digging through the box at his feet.

Suddenly a burst of familiar energy zipped through the room, and Kurama looked up to find a very small, very irritated fire demon perched at the top of the tree. The irony of the positioning was not lost on the kitsune. "Ah, an angel on my tree," he said with a smile.

"What?" Hiei demanded.

"It's a tradition that either a star or an angel goes at the top of the tree."

"The what?"

"The Christmas tree, Hiei." The redhead gestured to the jaganshi's perch. "It's a human thing."

"Hn. Useless nonsense."

Kurama sighed. "Yes, of course. What brings you here, Hiei? I would have assumed you wouldn't be venturing from the Makai in weather like this."

"It's _disgusting _outside," Hiei groused, brushing water off his cloak.

"It's winter," the kitsune replied with a shrug. He stood up and began wrapping tinsel around the tree.

Hiei leapt down and sneered at the other demon. "Since when do you go in for all this human crap?"

"I was raised in the human world, Hiei. My mother did this when I was young, so I continue to do it. This 'human crap,' as you call it, means something to me." Red eyes averted, and Kurama sighed again. "What brings you here, Hiei? This is the first winter I have seen you in Ningenkai."

"Mukuro was being tiresome. I didn't think that it was going to be this cold here." He waited for the customary invitation to stay with the fox, but it didn't come. Kurama just hummed along to some song about a drum and continued to decorate his tree.

"It's probably colder at Genkai's," Hiei said faux casually.

"Mm," the redhead responded. "She lives at a higher altitude than I do. Yukina probably loves it there."

"The glacial village is colder."

"Then you will not want to spend your holiday there," Kurama returned.

Hiei narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand why the redhead wasn't offering his home to him. He'd done far worse to Kurama than mocking his affection for human things, but from what he knew of the fox, he only acted aloof like this when he was offended.

The fire demon was not one apologize, but he had no desire to head back to the border in the snow, or spend more time with any of the other members of the team than he had to. Really, if asked, the only person that Hiei wanted to spend this idiotic Christmas with was Kurama.

"What is this Christmas thing all about then?" Hiei asked in a bored tone.

A smile curved over Kurama's face because he knew that was his friend's way of apologizing. "It's a religious holiday celebrated by Christians. The day commemorates the birth of their savior, and people give gifts to those they care for in honor of the gifts that were given to the holy infant."

"Sentimental."

"Humans are nothing if not."

"You and your mother used to do this decorating thing?"

Kurama nodded. "It was one of the things I looked forward to the most when I was a child. Once my father died, I thought that Mother would lose her luster for the tradition, but she seemed determined to continue with it in his absence."

"Hn." Hiei had never had anything like that before. No one had traditions with him. He had nothing to look forward to. Well, nothing but that little half smile that lit up the kitsune's face whenever he, Hiei, appeared on his window sill. "Why don't you still celebrate with her?"

"My mother has a new family now. She is making new traditions, and I cannot begrudge her that. I want to make traditions of my own anyway."

"Don't you need a family for that?" Hiei wanted to know.

Kurama shrugged elegantly. "It would be nice."

The music continued to play, and the night moved along as Kurama's tree grew more and more beautiful. Red and silver tinsel wrapped around the tree in neat lines, glinting in the light reflected in the red, green, and gold glass ornaments. Clear lights cast a glow on it all. Once the final string of lights was hung, Kurama plugged everything in a turned all the other lights in the apartment off.

He closed his eyes, inhaling the fresh smell of the tree and all the other plants in the house. When he opened them though, Hiei was no where to be seen. Kurama exhaled sharply and went to prepare for bed.

* * *

Yusuke opened his eyes and yelled when he saw red eyes staring back at him. "Hiei, what the hell?" he shouted.

"When is Christmas?" the fire demon asked.

"You broke into my house to ask me that?" the half demon demanded. He checked the clock. "It's eight in the morning."

"You can go back to sleep when you answer me."

"It's the day after tomorrow. Why the hell do you want to know, anyway? The only demon I know who gives a shit about Christmas is K-" Yusuke paused, a sly smile lighting on his face. "Kurama. I'll assume you've been to see him?"

"Shut up. He said something about gifts."

The smile got wider. "Yeah, they go hand in hand with the season."

"What kind of things are appropriate?"

"Why are you asking me this?" Yusuke wanted to know.

"I don't know vast numbers of humans, you idiot," Hiei shot back. "Besides Kurama, you're the only one else who I care to speak to around here."

"I'm honored. But seriously, why aren't you asking Kurama? He's way more into this whole deal than I am. Hell, when I was a kid, my mother's only Christmas tradition was drinking egg-nog that was seventy percent rum all day and passing out in front of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at 8:00."

"Am I supposed to know what you're talking about?" the jaganshi snapped. "I was under the impression that gifts were supposed to be kept secret from the one they are for."

"That's true," Yusuke agreed. "Which is why you can't ask Kurama." The half demon laughed, then frowned thoughtfully. "Hey, does that mean you're not getting me anything?"

"Shut up," Hiei said again. "What would one get the kitsune, assuming one cared to do so?"

Yusuke thought about it. "He likes plants and books," he said with a shrug. "Plants are more practical since he can use them as weapons if he needs to."

Practical sounded like something Hiei would lean towards, so he decided it would be best to go the opposite direction. "What kind of books?"

"I don't know. Thick ones?" He scratched his head. "Wait! He was looking at some book in the window of that book store downtown. I wasn't really paying attention though…" It didn't matter because Hiei had disappeared out of the window, thankfully closing it behind him. The half demon shook his head and fell back against his pillows. He'd be angrier about the intrusion if the whole thing wasn't so dammed cute.

* * *

Kurama awoke on Christmas Eve feeling more melancholy than he ever had during the holiday season. He didn't know why he thought seeing Hiei would be a good thing this time of year. The cold made the fire demon crankier than usual, and that just pushed the two of them farther apart. That was the opposite of what the kitsune wanted.

He went about getting ready, glad that he was off work until the New Year. He was running a brush through his damp red locks when the phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered.

"_Shuichi! It's almost Christmas." _

His mother.

"Yes, Mother. I know. How are things looking at the house?"

"_Oh it's beautiful. I was finally able to talk Kazuya into putting lights on the roof. You should see it." _

Kurama smiled. "I will when I come over for Christmas dinner. Are you sure you don't want me to bring anything?"

"_No, dear. I have it covered. You could bring a friend if you'd like though. Someone special?" _

He knew what his mother was hinting at. "It will just be me, Mother. All of my friends have their own families, or they aren't interested."

"_Well, we'll be happy to see you nonetheless." _

"And I you."

"_I was just calling to say hello, I have a lot to do before tomorrow night." _

"Then I won't keep you. I love you, Mother."

"_I love you too, son. See you tomorrow." _

Kurama hung up and sighed. The time between then and his mother's Christmas dinner would be empty hours for him. Usually Yusuke had a party the night before Christmas, but this year Keiko's family wanted him to go with them up to the mountains. "I may as well get some reading done," the redhead murmured to himself. He had never had any problem with solitude before. In fact, he had always welcomed it. But now…things were lonely.

Despite his boredom, the day went by rather quickly. Soon it was dark enough to turn on the lights on the tree. Kurama sat in the dark watching them twinkle. He turned his head as Hiei entered through the window he kept unlocked by habit.

"You've returned," he said.

Hiei nodded, working to hide something under his cloak. "This is cheery," he quipped.

Kurama shrugged. "I am alone. This is all I have right now." He gestured around at the decorations. "It's funny. I always assumed that the act of getting ready for the holiday was what I loved as a child, when really it was the closeness of my family. I miss that."

"I…I've never had that," Hiei replied a bit uncertainly.

Green eyes filled with understanding. "I am truly sorry. If I thought you would accept, I would offer to start a tradition with you," Kurama said. "But I know you do not go for this type of thing."

Hiei looked around at all of it. "I know nothing about this."

"People would teach you, if you wanted to learn. Never doubt that you are cared for, Hiei."

The fire demon didn't respond, but he came over and sat next to Kurama on the couch. "I hate the snow," he said suddenly. "It reminds me of the place where I was branded as forbidden."

"I can understand that."

"But…but if there were someplace warm…"

Kurama chuckled. "You know you are always welcome where I am, Hiei. I don't know how many times I can extend the invitation before it sinks in."

"Invitations can be revoked," Hiei muttered.

"They can. This one has no reason to be. Stay here when you feel the need."

"Now?"

The redhead nodded. "I would like it if you stayed now, yes."

Hiei took a deep breath and reached into his cloak, pulling out a crudely wrapped bundle. "Here."

Kurama's eyes widened. "Hiei…what?"

"People give gifts for Christmas," was the response.

"Yes but Christmas is tomorrow and you're…" The kitsune was confused which was not a state he enjoyed being in.

"Open it tomorrow then. I don't care."

That was obviously untrue. Hiei was clutching his hands together tightly and being careful not to look directly at his companion.

"No, I'll open it now. When I was young, my mother would let me open one gift on Christmas Eve. I see no reason to deviate from that." He fondly removed the layers of newspaper and plastic bags that obscured whatever it was Hiei had seen fit to give him. When the last of the wrapping was gone, Kurama gasped.

In his lap was a leather bound copy of Charles Dickens' _A Christmas Carol _written in both English and Japanese and complete with illustrations. He had seen this at the bookstore and thought about getting it for his mother who had read the story to him when he was a boy.

"Hiei, I don't… I don't know what to say. This is wonderful."

Hiei ducked his head, hiding his small, pleased smile. "Hn."

"How did you know I would love this?"

"Yusuke said something about a book, and I went to the store and saw this. It looked like something you would like."

"But…you don't have human money," Kurama returned. "How did you buy it?"

"I never said I bought it, did I?"

That made the former thief laugh outright. "Well that is fitting then. Thank you, Hiei." Taking a chance, Kurama reached out and hugged his friend. Hiei stiffened at first, and it seemed like he was going to bolt. But a second later, the jaganshi took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of all that scarlet hair, and relaxed.

"I have something for you as well," Kurama said. He walked over to the tree and selected a gift bag from the small stack of presents. "I know you're a fire demon, so this is a little superfluous, but I wanted you to have them."

Hiei pulled out a pair of gloves, a scarf, and a knitted hat, and a leather jacket all in black, and looked at the kitsune with a puzzled expression.

"You hate the cold," Kurama explained. "I thought that if you had something to keep you warm until you got here, you'd be more likely to come visit when it's colder out."

Hiei replied by putting the hat on. It was a bit too large for his head and Kurama laughed. "You don't mind then, that I come and stay here sometimes?" Hiei wanted to know.

"I look forward to it," the kitsune answered sincerely.

"Then maybe…maybe next year, I can help with these lights and crap. I can get them up faster than you can."

Kurama slung an arm around Hiei's shoulder, surprised when the fire demon leaned into him. "That would be wonderful. Perhaps we can start our own holiday traditions."

"Hn," was all he got in response, but Kurama chose to take that in the affirmative.

"Have you ever read _A Christmas Carol_?" the redhead wanted to know.

"When would I have read it, Kurama?" Hiei shot back.

"Fair enough." Kurama opened the book. "We could start with this, if you wanted."

Hiei thought about it. "Read it to me," he demanded.

Kurama laughed. "As you wish."

* * *

A/N: Yes! I got this done before Christmas. I know there could have been more romancey stuff here, but I am pretty pleased with what this became, especially since I sat down and had no clue what to write about. Anyway, this is my Christmas gift to you all. I hope everyone has a happy holiday full of love, joy, and delicious food!


End file.
